Charles f



(No Model.)

C. F. SHAIN.

HRB ESCAPE.

` Patented May 26, 1891.

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` UNITED STATns PATnNT @Erica CHARLES F. SHAIN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FIRE-ESCAPE SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 452,924, dated May 26, 1891.

' Application filed October 6, 1890. Serial No, 367,196. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, CHARLES F. SHAIN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the cit-y and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification.V

Ladders have heretofore been made of two U-shaped bars, with pivoted cross-rungs, so as to fold into a narrow compass; and in some instances such lireescape ladders have been more or less elevated upon the building, so as to run down into position when needed for use.

In my present improvements the folding ladder is combined with stationary guides in such a manner that when it is allowed to descend it opens out automatically into the position for use, and when drawn up out of use it may be sustained at any desired, point, and each ladder can be operatedindependently of any other one of the fire-escape ladders, and all of the ladders are controlled upon the outside of the building and from the balcony or platform at or near the upper end of such ladder.

In the drawings, Figure l is an elevation of the ladder, as closed and out of use. Fig. 2 represents the upper end of the ladder as opened out and ready for use. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view at the line :t and Fig. 4 is a similar view in larger size at the line y y of Fig. 2.

The platform A is of any desired character, usually in the form of a balcony, projecting from the front of the building, and-upon this platform is a standard B, to which the iireescape is connected. The tire-escape ladder is made of the U-shaped vertical bars C and the cross-rung D, which are pivoted at their' ends Within the vertical hars C, so that the ladder can be closed by swinging one vertical bar up against the other, and the rungs will be contained within and between the vertical U-shaped bars.

Upon the standard B are the guide-slidcs E E, that are adapted to receive the ladder when folded, and such ladder can slide freely through these guides E E when liberated; and to hold such ladder in an elevated position an eccentric or cam F is placed upon the standard B between the guides E E, and such eccentric is provided with an axis or shaft anda lever G, by which the eccentric or cam is caused to press against the side of the folded ladder, and by the friction thereby produced the ladder will be held in its elevated position with reliability, because the weight of the ladder tends to tighten the eccentric or cam against its' edge, and when this eccentric or cam is turned aside the ladder is free to descend by gravity, and its downward movement is arrested by the head 2 on the upper end of one of the vertical bars C, which head rests upon the upper guide-slide E upon the standard B. The other vertical bar of the ladder at this time is below the lower guide-slide E, and the momentum of the parts causes this vertical bar of the ladder and the rung to swing away from the other vertical bar of the ladder, so that the ladder opens automatically, and the projecting end 3 of the upper rung of the ladder rests upon a support a at the edge of the balcony or platform A, so that this side of the ladder hangs from this support Il, while the other side of the ladder is supported by the head 2 resting upon the upper end of the standard B; and it is advantageous to provide a guide 5 at the edge of the platform opposite to the support 4, and the support 4 and guide 5 may be formed in one, as indicated by dotted linesin Fig. 3, so that the ladder always remains within the slot between the edge of the platform and the bar forming the support et and guide 5. If desired, the projecting end 3 may be upon the second: rung of the ladder and pass out through a mortise in the vertical U- shaped guide-bar, so that there will be a rung above the surface of the platform A, to furnish hand-hold to the party stepping off the platform and upon the ladder.

Upon the standard B a roller H is provided, the periphery of which is in contact with one of the vertical bars C of the ladder, so that this roller is rotated by the ladder as it descends, and upon this roller Il is aprojection G or pin, coming into contact with the harnmer I of the bell K, so that such bell is rung violently by the ladder as it descends. The object of this is twofold: to actas an alarm IOO in case of lire and also 'Lto indicate to the oocupants of the building any attempt to open the fire-escape ladder by burglars.

It is advantageous to employ a filling-piece L at the upper end of one of the vertical bars C and beneath the head 2 to prevent lateral motion in the guides E when the ladder is lowered, the edge of such filling-piece being in line with the edge of the opposite vertical bar C and above the upper end thereof when the ladder is folded.

I claim as my invention-u 1. The combination, with the platform A and standard B, of the guide-slides E upon the standard, the fire-escape ladder formed of the U-shaped bars and pivoted rungs, such ladder passing through the guide-slides E, andan eccentric or cam adjacent to thc'guidcslides and acting to hold the fire-escape ladder in its elevated position, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the standard 13 and the guide-slides E, of the {ire-escape ladder having U-shaped side bars and pivoted rungs, one ot` which rungs projects beyond the side bar of the ladder when unfolded, and the support 4, upon which such projecting end rests, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the fireescape ladder having U-shaped side bars and pivoted rung-s, of the standard B, having guideslides E, an eccentric or cam for sustaining the ladder when elevated, a head upon the ladder for supporting` the same at the upper end of the standard, and the guide 5 and support 4L for the ladder when unfolded, substantially as set forth.

et. The combination, with a fire-escape ladder having vertical side bars and pivoted rungs, of a bell and rollerin contact With the ladder and rotated by the same as the ladder descends, and a hammer acted upon by the. roller and striking the bell, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this lst dayof October-,1890.

CHARLES F. SHAIN.

\Vitnesses:

GEO. T. PINCKNEY, WILLIAM G. Morr. 

